1. Field of the Prior Art
The present invention generally relates to outboard motors clamped onto the transom of the boat and 5 devices for maintaining such motors in an outwardly tilted position. More specifically, the invention comprises such devices as particularly used for securing an outboard motor in an outwardly tilted position when the motor and its associated boat are being transported on a trailer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional outboard motor includes a frame to which is attached a motor shaft housing. A gear box housing and associated propeller are carried at the lower end of the shaft housing and a superstructure which includes the motor or driving mechanism is carried at the upper end of the shaft housing. The frame is in turn pivotally connected to a clamping mechanism which serves to clamp the entire outboard motor to the transom disposed at the stern of a boat. Once an outboard motor is secured to the boat in this manner, it normally remains in this clamped position even when the boat is being transported on the ground by means of a trailer.
When an outboard motor is used for propelling a boat on water, the shaft housing is disposed in a substantially vertical position, with the propeller and associated gear box housing being submerged below the surface of the water to a depth that usually extends beyond the bottom surface of the boat. However, there are certain circumstances during operation when it is desirable to raise the propeller in order to prevent damage thereto when the boat is about to pass over an obstacle or very shallow waters. Such situations are accommodated by tilting the motor about the pivotal connection between the frame and clamp so that the propeller may be raised outwardly and upwardly with respect to the transom and maintained in a desired position of tilt. Various devices have been proposed by the prior art for accomplishing this procedure and are disclosed, for example, by the Rayniak U.S. Pat. No. 2,213,434; Watkins U.S. Pat. No. 2,583,910; Tromanhauser U.S. Pat. No. 2,822,999; and Larson U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,055.
In addition to the need for tilting an outboard motor during use on the water, the prior art has also proposed devices through which the motor may be maintained in a desired position of tilt when the motor and its associated boat are being transported on the ground by means of a trailer. Such devices are similar in function to the previously indicated devices, but are typically in the form of an elongate member secured at one end to the boat or trailer and provided with a yoke at the other end for engaging the motor. Examples of these devices are shown by the Holsclaw U.S. Pat. No. 2,901,267; Brown et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,084; Driscoll U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,576; Patterson U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,344; Wells U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,986; and Landwerlen U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,236.
Notwithstanding the state of the prior art in the field of technology to which the present invention pertains, there still exists a need for an outboard motor transport bracket which is simple in structure, economical to manufacture and capable of being utilized in conjunction with conventional outboard motors without the need for physical modification of the motor structure or special parts for accommodating the bracket to the existing motor structure.